


Nobody Gets Left Behind

by BadWolfRose (BadWolf1988)



Category: Dog The Bounty Hunter
Genre: Abuse, Child Abuse, F/M, Family, Fluff, Hollywood, Hurt/Comfort, Older Man/Younger Woman, Romance, actress
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-30
Updated: 2017-01-30
Packaged: 2018-09-20 21:47:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9517499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BadWolf1988/pseuds/BadWolfRose
Summary: Imogen “Ginny” Kyle is a teen actress who is stuck living with her abusive father. One night at a party she meets Duane Lee Chapman. He offers to help her. He wants to love her. Can Ginny believe him? Is he telling the truth when he tells her that when it comes to family...nobody gets left behind?





	

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not know Duane Lee Chapman. I mean, he seems like a swell guy but he never returns my calls and he took out a restraining order after I followed him home that one time.
> 
> Disclaimer: Lilo and Stitch is copyright © Disney and Jumba.
> 
> Author's Note: I wrote this story a million and a half years ago. Yes, I know movie timelines don't make sense and Alan Rickman is still alive. I wrote this story in 2010. You guys can thank @NicktheDiva for finding this on the hard drive of his old computer when he was doing some spring cleaning. I hope you all enjoy!
> 
> ***WARNING*** This story features a romantic relationship between an adult man and a teenage girl. If you don't like that use your back button now. ***

Honolulu, Hawaii June 17, 2005

I hate my life. I mean it. I 100% detest my life. I slowly unwrapped the ace bandage that the wardrobe lady had bound my breasts with. Why had she done this? Yeah, I thought you might ask. You see, my name is Imogen Kyle. I'm seventeen-years-old and I have been an actress pretty much since birth thanks to my money hungry father. While I had once been an adorable little girl who had passed for Shirley Temple in a biopic about her, I now more closely resembled a 1960's Playboy Playmate. I had definitely inherited my late mother's curves that was for damn sure. This caused a bit of a problem because my two most popular roles to date were that of Annabeth Chase in the Percy Jackson films and Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter films. Both characters were teenage girls with normal teenage girl bodies. I did NOT possess a normal teenager's body. I had started developing quickly right around the time I turned twelve. I had endured more ace bandage wraps than I care to remember.

As I threw the ace bandage wrap onto the small vanity table in my trailer I gently massaged my chest. Looking at myself in the mirror, I could see where the bruises were already starting to appear around and under my breasts. I sighed. I looked like a freak.

A knock on the door almost made me jump out of my skin. I quickly grabbed my pajama top and threw it on.

“What?”

The door opened and the friendly face of my friend (and castmate) Brandon appeared.

“Hey, girlie...wanna go to a beach party tonight?” He stepped all the way inside and closed the door.

I rolled my eyes. “You know He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named would never allow it.”

For those of you who want to know...He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is what I called my father. If I was in a hurry You-Know-Who and Voldemort would also work.

“So don't tell him...he'll probably be passed out drunk by the time you get back to the hotel anyway.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Just tell him filming ran late.”

Brandon and I had come up together in the world of young Hollywood. We had been tight for years and he knew more dirt about my family than anyone else. If he was so inclined he could make a small fortune by selling just half of what he knew to the tabloids. Luckily, Brandon was loyal. He was one of those lucky child stars who's parents actually gave a damn about him so he was surprisingly well adjusted.

“Who's throwing the party?” You always had to be cautious about those you associated with when you were in my line of work.

“This dude named Leland I met last night at Hooter's.” Brandon explained. “His dad is this famous bounty hunter or whatever.”

My best friend wanted to take me to a party being thrown by a bounty hunter's son that he met at Hooter's? What the hell. I was only going to be a stupid teenager once right?

“Sure, I'll go...just let me finish getting changed.”

“I'll wait,” Brandon nodded but made no attempt to leave the trailer.

Jesus, he could be so airheaded sometimes.

“That means you have to leave numbnuts.”

“Oh, right...my bad!” He quickly made an exit.

Seeing as the only clothes that I had brought with me from the hotel this morning were the worn out Rugrats pajamas I had arrived in, I went to the clothing rack in the back of the trailer and quickly flipped through my wardrobe choices. Seeing as my chest was still killing me, I chose a white sundress that tied around my neck and had a hold ribbon along the waist. I wouldn't need to wear a bra. I'd be good...so long as I didn't dance...or run...or make any sudden movements whatsoever. Why couldn't I have mosquito bites like the rest of the actresses my age that haven't had extensive plastic surgery?

 

At The Party

Okay, this was the last time I let Brandon drag me to a party being thrown by some dude he met at a Hooter's. Most of the people in attendance were in their late twenties and early thirties. There was no one to talk to. No guys to dance with...not that I could in this dress but still. We were two millennials surrounded by Generation X. Add on that Brandon had abandoned me over an hour ago to chase some tatted up chick named Georgie and I wasn't in the best of moods.

“You don't look like you're having a very good time.”

A warm and not unpleasant voice broke me out of my thoughts.

I was seated on the tailgate of a pickup truck and while I had been spacing out, I had been joined by a rather bulky dude with deep blue eyes. He kinda reminded me of the character Emmett Cullen from that god awful Twilight book my grandma had sent me for my birthday because all the girls just had to have it. He was also way older than me. He had to be in his late twenties at least. But he was oh so pretty to look at.

“Yeah...well...I'm a lot younger than like...everyone here.” I pointed out the obvious as I took a sip out of my red solo cup. I had no idea what I was drinking but the fruity mix was making me totally chill.

“Then why are you here?” He countered by asking the obvious.

Touche, sir. I thought.

“Because if my best friend jumped off a cliff I'd probably jump too?” I tried being witty.

The fruity drink must have improved my snarky personality because the dude actually laughed. Score one for fruity alcohol!

“So, what's your name, young one?” He asked as he took a sip out of his own cup.

Oh, awesome! He didn't know who I was. I was going into this with a clean slate.

“Imogen but most people realize that was a cruel burden for my parents to place on my shoulders and simply call me Ginny,” Oh, this fruity cup of awesome sauce was turning me into a witty smart ass that would make my co-star and all around hero, Alan Rickman, proud.

He laughed again before catching my eye and nodding his head at me. “Nice to meet you, Ginny. I'm Duane Lee.”

“Too long,” I shook my head in mock seriousness. “I'm going to have to call you DL.”

“Princess, you can call me whatever you want.”

Hold the phone – Was he flirting with me?

“Oh, really?” I flirted right back because of the awesome sauce. “And why's that?”

I must have taken him by surprise because he paused for a second and chuckled to himself before he responded. “Because the lady is always right, of course.”

Oh, he was smooth...and I was going to see how far I could milk this.

“So, I could convince you to do anything right now? Because I'm a lady?” I baited him.

“Within reason,” He nodded his head and amended.

“Pretend to be my guardian so I can get a tattoo?” I have no fucking clue where that idea came from...probably the awesome sauce. Whatever. I was going to go with it.

“How old are you?” He seemed a bit taken aback.

“Seventeen as of January,” I replied casually as I took another sip from my cup.

“Damn...I thought you were at least twenty...” And he was going to go running for the hills. Just my luck...and he had been so pretty to look at.

“Hey, sixteen's the age of consent in most states...Hawaii included...” I blurted out and just let the statement hang in the air. How the fuck did I even know that?

He actually seemed to be thinking it over.

“I'm going to hell...” He muttered to himself before turning to me with an oh-so-sexy smirk. “So, where do you want to go for this tattoo of yours?”

Holy shit! He had taken the bait.

Well, in for a penny, in for a pound. I guess I was getting a tattoo.

“I'm only in town for work,” I admitted as he stood. “You pick the place.” Was I fucking nuts?

“And what kind of business would require a seventeen-year-old to travel?” Duane Lee asked as he offered me his hand to help me down off of the tailgate.

“Show business,” I responded shortly. It must have been too shortly because he very quickly changed the subject.

“Do you want to find your friend and let her know that you're leaving?” He asked as we slowly made our way towards the beachfront parking lot.

I shook my head. “He ditched me first. Let him worry.”

“Your best friend's a guy?” He asked in surprise as we arrived at the passenger side door of a red Silverado.

“Yep,” I smirked. “He's also black. We should have our own sitcom.”

Duane Lee laughed as he held open the Silverado's door for me and I got into a truck with a man who's last name I didn't even know.

 

At The Tattoo Parlor

“So...what kind of tattoo are you planning on getting?” Duane Lee asked as I flipped through a catalog of designs.

I had no fucking clue. I had been half passed shit faced when I had proposed this little adventure and now that I was coming down from my buzz I was really regretting drinking so much awesome sauce.

“Something that means something...” I replied vaguely.

Suddenly, a voice that I secretly loved came from the television that was hanging from the wall in the waiting room.

“Ohana means family...family means...nobody gets left behind...or forgotten.”

Stitch from Lilo and Stitch was my all time favorite Disney character.

“Do you think you could draw him?” I asked the tattoo artist and jerked my head in the direction of the television.

“Give me half an hour.” The chick nodded.

Duane Lee took a seat in one of the waiting room chairs and pulled me to sit in his lap. Damn, I really wish I had more awesome sauce right now. Being this close was making my brain pack up and go on vacation.

“Why Stitch?” He asked as he lightly ran his fingers up and down my arm.

“Because he's weird. He doesn't fit in. He doesn't look like people think he should. I can relate to that.” I told him honestly.

He leaned forward a bit and nuzzled my neck. That was it. My brain wasn't coming back from its vacation anytime soon. It had bought a summer home on Airhead Island and it was making friends with the neighbors.

“Are you going to get that ohana quote too?” He laid a kiss just below my ear and I shivered.

“I would actually have to believe in family to get that inked into my skin.” I said rather bitterly even to my own ears and once again Duane Lee let the topic drop.

 

TWO HOURS LATER

DUANE LEE'S HOUSE

What the fuck was I doing here? It was after midnight. Voldemort was going to kick the ever living shit out of me for not coming back to the hotel when filming wrapped for the day. He was never going to believe that filming ran this late. He might be a drunk but he still knew how the industry worked. I was still a minor. I could only work a certain amount of hours a day.

Duane Lee – to his credit – also looked like he had no clue what the hell to do next.

“I didn't bring you here to have sex with you,” He blurted out as we stood awkwardly in the center of his living room.

Um...okkaayy. I had no idea what to do with that. How was I supposed to respond? My right shoulder was stinging under the bandage that temporarily covered my new tattoo. My head was cloudy as I crashed even further down to earth after way too much awesome sauce. Witty Ginny was gone.

“I brought you here because I'm worried about you...” He continued.

Huh? How could he be worried about me? He had just met me.

“I saw the bruises when you pulled your top down for the tattoo artist,” He took a step closer and reached up to run his hand along my cheek. “Who did that to you, princess?”

I laughed. “The wardrobe hag on the set of my new movie,” I explained. “She binds my breasts so I actually pass for my age on screen.”

He nodded. “What are you here filming? Percy Jackson? I don't think there are any scenes in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince that require a Hawaiian backdrop.” He smirked gently. “I have a question for you, princess. Does it ever bother you that you play Luna when your name is really Ginny?”

The son of a whore! He had known who I was the entire fucking time!

“Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters,” I answered his first question on autopilot, completely ignoring his second.

“I know you're probably pretty shocked that I know who you are,” He reached up behind my neck and pulled on the strings holding my dress up. They easily gave way and the top half of my dress pooled at my waist, leaving my chest completely bare in front of him. “But I'm going to shock you a little further with what I know.” He gently reached out and cupped my breast in his hand, using his fingertips to soothe the angry purple and blue flesh along the bottom. “I know these bruises came from binding your breasts.” His hand suddenly dropped to run along the healing green and yellow bruises along my ribcage. “But these bruises came from someone's fist. I'm a bounty hunter, princess. I know abuse when I see it. You were too willing to get drunk and run off with me tonight. You act older than you are. Someone's hurting you, Imogen, and I want to know who it is...now.” He demanded as his eyes found mine.

“My dad,” I answered without even thinking about it. I had never told anyone that my father hit me...not even Brandon. All he knew was that my father was a controlling, verbally abusive asshole.

He pulled me into his arms and held me as tightly as he seemed to know my bruises would allow.

He laid a kiss on my ear before whispering, “Do you want to get away from him? I can make it happen, Imogen.”

Why was he so willing to help me? Why did he speak to me like I was something precious? Was getting away from my father even an option? He controlled everything, including my money, until my eighteenth birthday. How would I survive without him? And the press would be a nightmare when they got wind of me running away from my father. No, it was completely out of the question...at least until I turned eighteen next year.

I withdrew from his arms and pulled the top of my dress back up.

“This was a bad idea, DL. Take me back to my hotel.” I demanded while not quite meeting his eyes.

Duane Lee just shook his head sadly and complied with my wishes.

Before he let me get out of his truck, Duane Lee took my cell phone from me and programmed his number.

“All you have to do is call me, princess,” He told me as he leaned across the middle divider. “My offer to get you out never expires...you hear me?”

I nodded. “If you got me out...would that mean that I got to be with you?” I knew that I could never accept his help but still I found myself needing to know the answer.

He just stared at me, studying my face for a moment before asking, “Is that what you would want...to be with me?”

Christ, I hated it when people answered an important question with one of their own.

I knew the answer was yes but I couldn't bring myself to verbally say it so I simply nodded my head.

Duane Lee reached out and ran his finger along the seam of my lips. “Then, yes, you could be with me if you left your father.” He leaned forward and laid a brief, gentle kiss on my lips.

When we parted, I felt the tears welling up in my eyes and I knew that I needed to get out of the truck. I knew if I didn't do it soon, I probably never would.

Without so much as a last glance in Duane Lee's direction, I got out of the truck and literally ran away from the man who offered me salvation.

 

Two Months Later

I couldn't take it anymore! I didn't fucking do anything to that man! I was his daughter. He was supposed to protect me. Isn't that what good fathers did? My father wasn't a good father. No...Voldemort was the type of father to beat the hell out of his only child because she was twenty minutes late getting back from a press interview.

I was still having trouble breathing as I leaned against the sink in my bathroom for support and wiped the blood away from my nose...which I'm pretty sure was broken. This couldn't go on. He was going to kill me. The movie had wrapped filming today and I didn't start filming Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince until next summer. I was terrified of what You-Know-Who would do to me if we were left alone together for that long.

As it had after every beating I had received in the last few months, my wandered to Duane Lee. I should have taken him up on his offer when I had the chance. But then I remembered...

I looked at my cell phone laying on the black marble of the bathroom counter. Duane Lee said that his offer would never expire. Voldemort expected me to leave the island with him tomorrow. This could be my last chance to escape.

I grabbed my phone and sat on the lid of the toilet. I was in so much fucking pain! I scrolled through the contacts until I found his name. Knowing that my father had gone out bar hopping, I hit send and hoped that I was making the right decision.

“Bail bonds,” He answered on the second ring.

“DL?” My voice shook as I heard the mellow voice that I hadn't realized that I had missed so much.

“Ginny? What's wrong, princess?” I could clearly hear the worry in his tone and if I wasn't in so much pain, I probably would have smiled.

“He really hurt me this time, DL,” I told him as I started to cough. “I need help,” I admitted. It was getting harder to breathe.

“Where are you, baby? Do you need a doctor?” I heard him rushing around and yelling to people in the background.

“I'm at the hotel you dropped me off at...penthouse suite...and yeah, I'm having trouble breathing...and everything is starting to spin...”

“Imogen, listen to me. I'm sending an ambulance to you. I'm at the airport in Colorado waiting on my plane back to the islands but I'll make sure someone meets you at the hospital. You hear me, princess?”

“Yeah...” I replied before everything went black.

 

At The Hospital

My head was pounding as I finally came to. From the beeping of a heart monitor to the overly sanitized smell, I knew that I was in the hospital before I even opened my eyes.

What the hell had happened? The last thing I remembered was talking to Duane Lee. He told me that he was sending an ambulance and then everything just went hazy.

I started coughing as I opened my eyes and was met with the sight of mint green walls and red faux-leather furniture. What did all hospitals share the same interior decorator? My throat was raw as hell. I tried to sit up a bit.

“Whoa there, sista,” A stacked, bleach blonde woman appeared at my bedside. “You just had major surgery and you've been out a few days. You can't go moving around like that.” She gently pushed me back down with an overly manicured hand.

“What happened?” I asked as in a raspy voice as she grabbed a cup of water and a straw off of the rolling side table.

“Your father broke your ribs and one of them punctured your right lung.” She brought the straw to my lips and I gratefully took a sip. It felt like I hadn't had anything to drink in years. “Your left lung couldn't handle all the pressure and ended up collapsing as well. They had to open you up to repair the damage. You were on a ventilator until day before yesterday.” Well, that explained why my throat felt so raw. “You had us worried.”

“Who's us?” I didn't want to seem rude but I had never seen this woman before in my life and I had no idea why she was sitting at my bedside nursing me like she was my mother.

The woman didn't take offense. She just chuckled. “My name's Beth Chapman. I'm Duane Lee's step-mom.”

Okay, things were starting to make a bit more sense now.

“Where is Duane Lee?” I don't know why but I felt this overwhelming need to see him. I wouldn't feel safe until I was in his presence.

“He just ran downstairs for a cup of coffee,” She went about straightening my blankets. “He should be back any second.” She assured.

Almost as soon as the words had left her mouth, the heavy wooden hospital room door opened and Duane Lee walked in carrying a cup of coffee. He was wearing bagging jeans and a tight, black, long sleeve t-shirt. He looked exhausted; like he hadn't slept in days.

“Speak of the devil,” Beth smiled at her step-son. “Look who's awake!”

A huge grin spread across Duane Lee's handsome face and his bright blue eyes lit up when he saw that I was awake.

“Hey, DL,” My voice was still very horse and I was pretty groggy but I managed to send a weak smile his way.

“I'll leave you two alone,” Beth quickly slipped from the room.

“Hey, there beautiful,” He set his cup of coffee down on the side table – forgetting about it completely – and moved to sit carefully on the bed at my side. “How are you feeling?”

“Rough,” I told him honestly. “What happened with my father?” I knew that with me in the hospital, there was no way that he had gotten away with hurting me this time.

“He was arrested and Beth had a judge friend of hers sign over temporary guardianship of you to her.” He explained.

What?! Did this mean that I had to go and live with Beth? I mean she seemed like a friendly enough person but I didn't know her from Adam.

“It's just in writing...you're going to stay with me and we're going to hire a lawyer to get you legally emancipated.” He must have sensed my panic and rushed to explain.

“I wish I had stayed with you that first night,” I cast my eyes away from his as they filled with tears.

“I wish you had too,” He admitted. “I wish you had believed me when I told you that I would take care of you. But that's in the past. You're with me now. You're safe...and that's all that matters.” He leaned forward and took me by surprise when he carefully turned my head to face his and laid a chaste kiss on my dry and cracking lips.

 

One Week Later

I had finally been sprung from the hospital after a week. I was more than ready to leave. While Duane Lee, his brother Leland, Beth, and at times even his father (with the very odd name) Dog were always on hand to keep me entertained, I had developed a serious case of cabin fever.

I had been so anxious to leave the hospital that I really hadn't given much thought on just where I was going. Now, as I sat in the familiar passenger seat of Duane Lee's Silverado heading towards his house I was panicking slightly. I had actually gotten away from my father. I was free...and I had no idea what to do with myself.

Duane Lee had convinced his family that I would need time to settle in at his place so we were alone as we entered his Spanish ranch style house.

I was still having some trouble walking so Duane Lee had to help me to the couch. According to the doctors, I would be off my feet for the next couple of weeks.

Duane Lee helped me get settled before he finally kicked out of his shoes and took a seat next to me. Careful of my still fresh stitches, he pulled me into his arms.

“Welcome home, princess,” He laid a kiss on my temple. I had never felt so secure in my life. That combined with the truly killer pain meds the doctor had given had me falling asleep on his shoulder in no time.

 

Later That Night

When I awoke, I was no longer on the couch. I was laying in a huge, comfortable wooden sleigh bed. The room was bathed in nothing but moonlight and I knew that it had to be late.

As if cued by some unseen director the door to what I could only assume was the attached bathroom opened and Duane Lee emerged wearing a pair of black basketball shorts and a white t-shirt. He had obviously just finished getting ready for bed.

The room was so dark, he didn't notice that I was awake until he joined me in bed.

“I didn't expect you to wake up until morning,” He laid on his side with his head on the same pillow that mine rested on. “The doctor said I should expect you to sleep a lot. Are you hungry? Do you need any pain pills?”

“No,” I yawned. “By the way...where am I? Is this your room?” I asked curiously.

He gently wrapped his arm around my waist. “Well, up until today it was my room. Now, I was kind of hoping that it could be our room...”

Oh. If I had given zero thought to our living arrangments, I had given even less thought to our sleeping arrangments.

“Our room?” I parroted back. “Doesn't that seem a little permanent?” I asked. Surely, he wouldn't want us to live together forever.

“Princess, you're welcome to leave whenever you want...but I really don't want you to.” He ran his hand up and down my back. “You see I have this wicked plan, Pinky...” The Hawaiian moonlight made his smirk seem downright sinister.

“And what is this wicked plan, Brain? Are we going to try and take over the world tonight?” I kidded back.

He let his hand run up my back until it stopped over my Stitch tattoo. “I'm going to prove to you that you are worth loving. I'm going to do that by loving you the way that you deserve to be loved. I'm going to surround you with so many members of the Chapman family and with so much love that you are going to have no choice but to go back to the tattoo shop and get that ohana quote added to your tattoo. I'm going to make you believe in family.” He vowed.

 

October 2005

It was only four months before my eighteenth birthday when I finally became emancipated. After having to rely on Duane Lee for everything, I finally had access to my own money...and boy did I have a lot of it. My father never let me know how much money I made off of my movies...now I see why he wanted to keep me under his thumb so badly. He didn't want to give up my money.

My dad had been sentenced to three years in prison for the attack that had almost killed me. I really wish they would have given him more time but in the eyes of the law he was a first time offender. At least I knew that I would never have to see him again. The trial judge had made it very clear that one of the conditions of my father getting out of prison when the time came was that he obey a permanent restraining order that had been put in place.

A month ago, I had traveled with Beth and Duane Lee's younger sister Lyssa (Duane Lee had to work) to my native North Carolina to pack up my childhood bedroom and put the South Park Charlotte area home on the market. The mansion that my father had bought in my name sold quickly.

Now, here I sat in the kitchen looking through the documents the financial advisor Beth had hired for me had put together. I knew what I wanted to do with some of my money. I wanted to buy a house. I didn't want to stop living with Duane Lee. I had come to the not so startling conclusion that I was in love with him over a month ago. He was renting the house we lived in for an astronomical amount of money a month and he had picked the place by himself. This had just been the place that he had been nice enough to share with me after my father had attacked me. I wanted a place that was our own. I wanted to pick out a place that belonged to the two of us.

“What are you up to, princess?”

I nearly had a heart attack. I hadn't heard Duane Lee come in. I wasn't expecting him until later. He and his family had been on the hunt for one of their fugitives for over a week and the guy was proving elusive.

“You're home early,” I commented as he dropped a kiss on my lips and took a seat in the chair next to me.

“Yeah, the cops got the guy before we could.” He seemed truly pissed off about this. “Dad sent us all home. Told us to take tomorrow and the rest of the weekend off. What's all that?” He nodded towards the papers scattered across the glass service of the kitchen table.

“My financial advisor sent these over. It's a breakdown of all the money that I've earned during my career.” I explained. “I was just going through them and thinking...”

“Thinking what, Gin?” He prompted when I hesitated.

“I want to buy a house.” I blurted out.

He leaned back in his chair and he almost looked like he had been deflated. “I thought you wanted to stay with me?” He sounded hurt.

Realizing that he had taken my comment the wrong way, I rushed to assure him. “I do want to stay with you. I want to buy a house together. I want something that's ours...that we can pick out together. I want permanent.” I rambled.

A slow smile spread across his face. “Really? You want permanent?”

I nodded shyly. “I know that I'm young but I also know that you are the one that I want to be with.”

“How do you know that?”

I hadn't been expecting that question. I guess he was going to make me say it.

“I know because...I love you.” I looked him in the eyes. “I couldn't love you if I didn't want to spend the rest of my life with you.” I couldn't believe that I had actually said the words but they felt so good to say.

He pushed back his chair and got to his feet. Holding out his hand to me, he pulled me to my feet and kissed me hard on the mouth.

I was panting when he pulled away and rested his forehead against mine. He had never kissed me like that before.

“I love you too, Imogen.”

 

Christmas Eve, 2005

The Chapman House

Denver, Colorado

“So, sista, how goes the house hunting?” Beth asked me as she sorted out the gifts under the Christmas tree. She was sorting gifts by name and placing them into red velvet bags that looked like Santa sacks.

“We found this beachfront place not that far from you and Dog. We made an offer but we haven't heard back yet.” I answered as I finished wrapping Duane Lee's presents.

“You don't sound very excited...do you not like the house?” Beth asked as she tore into what appeared to be a wrapped clothing box.

“No, I love the house...it's just...everything is so mixed up.” I vented. I cast aside the small gift box that I had just finished wrapping and ran my hand through my blonde hair in frustration.

“Care to elaborate? I can't help ya, if you don't, sista.” Beth said as she opened the white cardboard garment box and extracted a handheld video game. The sneaky woman. She hid gifts from Santa hidden under the tree in plain sight.

“DL keeps asking me to marry him...”

“The way you say that means that you keep turning him down,” Beth eyed me critically. “Do you want to marry Duane Lee or not?”

“I want to marry him but it's not that simple...” I tried to explain but Beth wasn't going to let me finish.

“Let me guess...your career is holding you back, isn't it? I know being a celebrity seems like your whole world but at the end of the day, you're an actress. That's a job. Nothing more and nothing less.”

I'm going to be honest and admit that I had never thought of it like that. I had been an actress since I was a little girl. My whole life had been wrapped up in being a celebrity until I had come to live with Duane Lee. I was only seventeen. The press was already having a field day with my father going to prison. How would they react when they discovered that I was in a relationship with a thirty-two-year-old man? Our marriage would be seen as nothing short of perverse and fans would never accept it.

“I do enjoy life more when I'm with DL and the rest of the family just...being normal,” I admitted. “I actually love it when you guys let me come and hang out at the office or let me ride around on bounties.”

Duane Lee had started taking me along to work about two months ago. The premiere of Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters wasn't until June. I wasn't needed in Scotland to film the next Harry Potter installment until August. Brandon had booked a guest starring role on this sitcom called Raising Hope and was in California indefinitely. I was going stir crazy. At first, Duane Lee's brother Leland suggested that I volunteer with the local theater. It was a thoughtful suggestion but my heart just wasn't in it. I might be a natural actress but I don't really enjoy it. It's just something that I have always done. When I'm hanging around Da Kine...I love it. I enjoy helping my scatterbrained boyfriend catch up on paperwork on the weekends. I love hanging out with Beth and Lyssa when things are slow. I even truly enjoy the rare occasions when the reality TV cameras aren't rolling and I can join the family out on bounties.

Would losing my public image and walking away from Hollywood after my Percy Jackson and Harry Potter commitments were up be so horrible?

Could I see myself as an eighteen-year-old bride? Isn't that what I already was? I mean, me and Duane Lee lived together. We had breakfast together in the mornings and went to bed together every night. We lived like we were married already. There was only one marital perk that he wouldn't grant me.

“But work isn't the only problem! I would happily walk away from Hollywood to be with DL. But why should I marry a man that shows zero interest in me sexually?” I regretted the words almost as soon as they left my mouth.

Beth's eyes went wide and she froze for a second before she regained her ability to speak. “It sounds to me like you would want to leave Hollywood even if Duane Lee wasn't in the picture.” She spoke evenly. “You should follow your heart. It also sounds to me like you want to get married but you are way too focused on what society is going to think instead of what you want. Lastly...are you nuts?!” Her voice suddenly rose. “Have you seen the way that boy looks at you?! Of course he's sexually attracted to you!”

“Then why won't he sleep with me?” I demanded to know.

“Everything okay in here?”

Beth and I both jumped as Duane Lee suddenly appeared in the room. I really hoped that he had not heard our conversation but the look on his face gave nothing away.

“Yeah,” I chuckled nervously. “We were just messing around...”

“Oh, well, I was looking for you, princess,” He smiled at me. “Do you think you're up for taking a ride with me?”

A ride? Where in the world could he possibly want to go? Three feet of snow had fallen the night before and the snowplows had just finished clearing the roads. Plus, it was Christmas Eve. Nothing was open. There was really nowhere to go. Still, it was Duane Lee asking. How could I say no to him?

“Sure,” I smiled, got to my feet and headed to the coat closet by the front door.

“That bag is for the two of you,” I heard Beth tell Duane Lee as I laced up my snow boots before pulling on my jacket, hat, and gloves.

I was surprised when Duane Lee met me in the hall carrying one of the Santa sacks over his shoulder.

“Go hop in my truck, princess,” He bent down to drop a quick kiss on my lips. “I have to grab a few things and then I'll meet you out there.”

What the hell was he up to?

 

In The Truck

I was more confused than a Star Trek fan at a Star Wars convention. Before we had left the house Duane Lee had loaded not only the Santa sack but also a duffel bag into the bed of the truck

We had been driving for about twenty minutes when my curiosity finally got the better of me.

“Okay, where are we going?” I demanded to know. “I've seen you in the middle of prank wars with Leland and Wesley. You have that same gleam in your eye right now. You are totally up to something.”

Duane Lee just laughed at me as he turned onto a gravel road that lay almost hidden in the dark.

There were no lights on this dirt road save for the headlights of Duane Lee's pickup truck.

“Um...babe...I'm not really up to reenacting Deliverance for Christmas...” I said nervously. This road was creepy as fuck.

After what felt like forever we finally emerged from the darkness onto a paved well-lit driveway. Duane Lee parked the truck in front of a cute two-story log cabin.

“Not Deliverance...I was thinking more Cabin in the Woods.” He joked as he killed the engine.

He got out of the truck and came around and held open my door for me.

“Seriously, DL...what is this?” I asked as he gave me a hand out of the truck. I shivered as the cold December wind hit my face.

Duane Lee pulled me into his arms and kissed me thoroughly before he answered. “This is me trying to make our first Christmas together special.”

My heart almost melted like I was the overly emotional, hyper-sexed heroine in a cheesy dime store romance novel.

“We're spending Christmas here?” I confirmed with a smile. While I loved the Chapman family with all of my heart, the thought of spending Christmas alone with Duane Lee sounded like heaven on earth to me.

“We're going to be spending a lot of time here, Gin,” He told me as he took my hand and led me up the front steps.

“What do you mean?” I asked as he took out a key and unlocked the front door.

“Well, with the way things have been going, the family will be spending a lot of time here in Denver for work. I thought we should have a place of our own here as well as in Hawaii...”

Was he saying what I think he was saying?

“This place is ours?” I asked in excitement.

He nodded and smiled at me. “I signed the papers Monday morning. The deed is in both of our names.”

I couldn't help myself...I jumped into his arms and hugged him tightly.

“I take it you're happy, princess?” He chuckled as he put his hands on my ass to keep me from falling.

“Blissfully happy,” I kissed his neck before getting down to my feet.

“Now, I do have an ulterior motive for bringing you here tonight, Pinky.” He smirked as he placed his hands on my hips.

“Oh really, Brain?” I played along. “And whatever could you be up to?”

“You see, Pinky,” He pulled my hips until our most intimate parts were pressed tightly against each other. “I want to make love to my lady for the first time...I've been waiting until we had a place that was ours. I want our first time to be in a home that we share.”

I nearly lost it right then and there. Here I was thinking he wasn't attracted to me and he had been waiting to make our first time special.

“You know, Brain, I think your lady would very much like it if you took her upstairs and did just that,” I told him in a husky whisper.

Without another word, Duane Lee picked me up in his big, strong arms and carried me upstairs.

 

3:00 am

Christmas Morning 2005

I awoke to Duane Lee moving around on the bed beside me and slowly opened my eyes to find him staring at me.

“What are you doing up?” I asked in a voice still rough with sleep.

“Admiring how beautiful you are when you sleep,” He ran his hand up and down my naked back under the sheet. “How did I get so damn lucky?”

I blushed and buried my face in my pillow. I was a celebrity. I was used to people telling me I was beautiful but Duane Lee was the only person that I believed when he said it. I knew that he thought I was beautiful on the inside as well as on the outside.

“How are you feeling?” He asked when I finally rolled over onto my back to face him.

“A little sore,” I admitted. “But in a very good way,” I assured him as I stretched my hands over my head.

Something on my hand caught the moonlight and sent a flash of light across the bedroom.

“What the hell?” I pulled my left hand down to examine what had done that and I nearly stopped breathing.

Duane Lee was relentless. On my hand was a truly beautiful emerald cut diamond ring.

“I'm hoping the fifth time's the charm,” He reached his arm around my waist and pulled me tightly against him. “I don't care how long we are engaged. I don't care if we keep it a secret. Just please tell me that you will marry me one day and will wear my ring, Imogen,”

This time I set aside all thoughts of my career and what society would think. I just went with what I wanted...what would make me happy.

“I'll marry you any time, any place, baby.” I laughed as tears started to flow down my cheeks.

“About time you got with the program, princess,” Duane joked as he rolled over to lay between my legs and kissed me deeply as he started to harden against my stomach.

 

July 8, 2011

London, England

I nervously stared at the plastic stick on the counter of my hotel room bathroom. I was two weeks late for my period and I wanted to make sure I was pregnant before I mentioned anything to Duane Lee. We had been married for five years now and we had just decided to start trying for a family a few months ago.

I was twenty-three now and as of last night (when I had walked the red carpet of the final Harry Potter film) I was a retired actress. No more traveling and location shoots for me. I would now have the extra time to devote to a family. Any time that wasn't spent working on raising a family would be spent at the Da Kine Bail Bonds offices where Beth had been training me to take over as office manager. I was finally going to have a normal (well, by my standards anyway) life filled with a job that I actually enjoyed and a man and family that I adored.

After five minutes, I picked up the stick. There were the digital words...PREGNANT.

I started squealing. I must have scared my husband because Duane Lee came hurrying into the bathroom with a look of alarm on his face.

“What's wrong, Gin?”

“I'm pregnant!” I started waving the test at him and jumping up and down.

Once what I said sunk in, a grin slowly spread across his handsome face and his blue eyes lit up in that way that I loved before he pulled me into his arms and kissed me with so much passion that I wouldn't be surprised if I was now carrying twins.

“I love you so much, Ginny Chapman,” He told me when he pulled away and started raining kisses all over my face and down my neck.

He pulled my shirt over my head and turned me around. He laid a kiss on the words that were now inked into my skin below my Stitch tattoo. He always made sure those words were the first thing he kissed before we made love.

“I love you too, Duane Lee...you're my ohana...”

FINIS


End file.
